Where Do We Go From Here?
by Buffy Crazy
Summary: After Buffy has died, Angel and the crew go to Sunnydale and to her funeral and basically what happened after.


**Previously On Buffy the Vampire Slayer **

"Tell me where the key is," Glory had demanded.

"You're the key. Go before she... She's," Ben had said worried before he morphed into Glory.

"Here," Glory had said.

"It's Summer's blood, just like mine," Buffy had told Dawn.

"Because it's always got to be blood," Spike had said.

"She's more than that. She's me. The monks made her out of me. I hold her and I feel closer to her than... It's not just the memories they built. It's physical. Dawn is a part of me," Buffy had told her friends.

Giles had suffocated Ben.

"Buffy... no!" Dawn had said after realising what her sister was planning to do.

"Dawnie, I have to," Buffy had revealed. 

"No!" Dawn had shouted.

"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen," Buffy had pleaded. " Dawn, listen to me, listen. I love you. I will always love you. This is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. But Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For Me."

Buffy had turned around, had ran to the end of the platform that was at the top of the huge tower that had been built by crazy people and had swan-dived into the portal. Then the body had landed on a heap of rubble.

Dawn walked down the various ladders and staircases, sobbing. She reached the bottom and she cried harder at the sight of Buffy's dead body. She walked toward it followed by Tara, Willow, Anya, Xander, Spike and Giles.

Buffy's limp, lifeless body looked peaceful. Xander put Anya down and she limped forward, slowly, following Xander. Spike burst into tears when he collapsed onto the floor. Tears flowed down Willow and Tara's cheeks. Xander had cried, Anya was. Giles stood, crying, overlooking his dead slayer's body. He had known it was coming. It had once before.

Xander walked past Dawn to pick up the body.

"Don't touch the body." Dawn said.

She gasped and turned back and walked toward the others. Anya held her. Xander picked up the body and walked back. 

"Dawn, what happened up there?" Giles asked. 

"After the portal had opened Buffy told me to go, then she said I had to look after you and vice versa and to give her love to you guys and to tell you that she figured it out. Then she jumped," Dawn explained in between sobs. "I tried to stop her, but-"

"I understand," Giles said.

"I thought the portal could only be closed when Dawn was dead," Xander said.

"It could. But Buffy was right. The monks made Dawn out of her, using her blood and she had realised she could close the portal," Giles explained.

"What are we going to do with the body?" Willow asked. She cried harder. "I didn't just say that did I?"

"We should bury it. It's what Buffy would have wanted," Tara said.

"But shouldn't we get it away from this place? I mean we could take it back to the house and then phone an ambulance and make it look natural," Xander suggested.

"How is this natural?" Dawn demanded, shocked at her friends not caring-ness.

"I'll grab the bot or what's left of it," Spike said, wiping his eyes. 

"Why are you ignoring me!" Dawn shouted.

"We're not. We're trying to decide what to do," Anya explained.

"But that won't change things," Dawn whispered as she sobbed louder. She pulled away from Anya and ran out of the construction site. Willow ran after her. Spike got the Buffy bot and the gang left the site.

They walked back to the house in silence, certain Dawn would have gone there. They walked inside, when they got there and Xander put the body down onto the couch. He looked at it and tried to imagine it the way Buffy would have seen Joyce when she had died. Giles walked over to the phone and dialled 911.

"Hello?" the operator asked.

"Um... hello," Giles replied.

"What can I do you for?"

"Ambulance," Giles blurted. "1630 Revello Drive."

"Right away sir." 

Giles put the receiver down and turned to look at the group of friends. Anya had disappeared, gone to see Dawn.

"W-what are we going to do?" Tara asked.

"I don't know, I do know that we need to make things better for Dawn though," Xander replied.

The stairs thumped, Anya reached the bottom and collapsed onto the second-to-last step, crying.

"Ahn? What's wrong?" Xander asked his fiance. He got up and walked to the stairs.

Anya looked up, wiped her eyes, "It's Dawn! She's missing!"

"Missing? What do you mean missing?" Willow asked.

"All of her stuff, gone. And I found this," she held up a piece of paper with writing scrawled on it.

_Dear Guys and Gals,_

_I've gone. Don't bother coming to look for me. I will be safe here. When I get there. I will find the hotel and get them to look after me. That is when I have gotten off of the train._

_Dawn_

"To a hotel? Where could that be?" Giles asked.

"L.A. maybe. I mean Angel's hotel is there, the Hyperion. And she did write when she got off the train. I could go see if that was her destination. And I could tell Angel about Buffy. You know the deal about killing two birds with one stone," Willow suggested.

"That, my friend, is an excellent idea," Xander said as he sat down next to Anya.

"I'll go pack," Willow announced. She stood up and say goodbye to the gang. Tara got up and she and Willow left Dawn's house. They walked to the university in silence. When they reached Tara and Willow's dorm they packed.

"Um... baby, what are you doing?" Willow asked overlooking Tara as she packed her bag.

"I'm coming with you. I can help you find Dawn," Tara announced and she finished packing and zipped up her bag. "Someone will have to move into the Summer's house. Dawn won't be able to stay there on her own."

"Yeah. Maybe we could. Or Xander and Anya," Willow suggested.

Willow finished packing and also zipped up her bag. She put it next to Tara's and sat down. 

"This is what we could do. We get some sleep tonight and then in the morning we get a train to L.A., then we tell Angel or find Dawn whichever comes first on the agenda and then we come home with Dawn and move in with her and then we organise and have Buffy's funeral," Willow revealed.

"Dawn should be here for B-Buffy's funeral, she should help arrange," Tara said.

They got ready for bed and then slept. 

In L.A., Dawn stepped out onto the platform and walked up the elevators feeling a haste to get out.

_How could they?_ Dawn thought to herself. _How could they lack remorse? I mean, they just lost their best friend and they hardly even cried._

She reached the outside and observed the atmosphere. There were shops around that were closed and a few motels littered about. Dawn set off walking along the road. She wiped her eyes and started to run. She slowed to a standstill when she came to a giant building. There was a sign outside which said :  
**WOLFRAM AND HART. ATTORNEYS AT LAW.**

Dawn thought about going inside to ask for directions, but decided not to. _Could be evil. _In the world she never knew what could be evil. Doc had turned out to be and Ben.

She walked some more and came upon a police department. She opened the doors and walked inside. She looked around and then walked up to the main desk.

"Excuse me?" Dawn asked.

"What can I do for you little lady?" the officer asked.

"Um... I'm looking for the Hyperion. I was just wondering if you could tell me where that would be."

"And you'll be safe when you get there?"

"**When** I get there." 

"Okay let me just remember the directions. Uh huh! Right you go down the rest of this road and then turn right, walk along that road and then left up the crossroads. It's there at the end of the street."

"Thanks."

Dawn left the police department and then took the directions that the officer had given her. When she got to the end of the final road, she saw it. The Hyperion. She ran and attempted to open the doors. _Locked._ She ran around to the back and tried the back. _Locked._ She walk back around to the front and sat on the wooden steps. She looked up and saw an open window. Climbing. Luckily there were a few footholds, trees and drainpipes. When she got inside the window, she left the room and walked down the staircase.

It was emptiness. There were a few books on the worktops and some weapons in a weapons cabinet. She opened it up and took out a sword. She hoped that if she faced anything she would be okay out on the field.

She walked back upstairs and out through the window. She jumped off of the tree and landed on her feet. Outside the hotel was a vampire. Dawn ran down the street and down more streets for a few blocks. Then she saw a building with glass doors. She knew that vampires had to be invited so she ran up to the building and knocked on the door. She wasn't fast enough. The vampire jumped on her. She kicked him off and the door opened. A girl in her twenties helped Dawn up and then beckoned her indoors. She locked the doors and the vampire started to hammer on it. The girl had long blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm Anne Steele" the girl called Anne said. "I run this place. It's for kids or runaways to stay."

"Hi, I'm Dawn Summers," Dawn answered.

"Summers? Where are you from, Dawn?" Anne asked.

"Sunnydale, but only for 5 years. I was born here in L.A. my sister's dead and my mom, so I've come to stay with my dad," Dawn revealed. "But then again none of that is real. I've only been alive for 1 year." 

"You wouldn't be related to Buffy would you?" 

"Yeah, she died last night," Dawn replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Shouldn't you be in Sunnydale for Buffy's funeral?" Anne asked.

"I guess. So how did you know Buffy?" 

"We met in Sunnydale and then went to hell together after she came to L.A. under the name of Anne."

"Uh huh."

"Dawn you go to sleep. I'll show you to the room and then you sleep."

Anne walked Dawn to a room with one bed in it. Dawn lay down on the bed and went to sleep. Not bothering to take off her shoes. She had a terrible sleep. All she could dream about was Buffy's last words. _What a nightmare_ , she thought.

In Sunnydale the next morning,

The alarm beeped. Willow and Tara woke. Willow shut off the clock and she and Tara did the usual day-to-day morning stuff. They grabbed their bags and set off for the train station. They waited thirty six minutes until the train came and then they boarded. They sat down and talked about magic and Buffy's death. When the train stopped at L.A. they got off and left the station.

"So shall we search for Dawn? Or go find Angel?" Tara asked.

"Dawn searching, she might know where Angel is or even better be there with him," Willow replied.

"To the Hyperion?"

"Uh huh."

They walked up the street and past a giant building called :

**WOLFRAM AND HART ATTORNEYS AT LAW.**

They walked another couple of blocks until they found the hotel.

"I think it's l-locked," Tara said.

"Timotepei! Simotei!" Willow shouted. "Not anymore."

She pushed open the doors and they walked inside. They looked around and found the weapon cabinet open.

"Dawnie!" Willow shouted. "Dawnie are in here!"

"I don't think she's here," Tara said.

"I'll take a look around upstairs," Willow said.

"I'll stay down here, take a look around."

Willow took to the stairs. She got to the top and opened a room, two, five, ten, thirty. _Is there enough freakin' rooms in this place?_ Willow thought. When she got to the last room the hope that Dawn would be there had flowed out and now she just felt empty. She opened the last door, however nothing. Willow walked downstairs and her and Tara left the hotel. 

"Where do we go from here?" Willow asked.

"We could look around the streets, in any hostels," Tara suggested. 

"Great. Let's do that."

They walked around the streets of L.A. for six hours. Asking, searching, knocking on doors, having no luck. The knocked on one hostel door. A girl answered. She long blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm Anne Steele," Anne greeted.

"I'm Willow, this is Tara. We were wondering if you'd seen a girl," Willow asked. 

"I've seen lots of girls. Running a hostel it's kinda my job. Anyone in particular?"

"A girl, this height," Willow held her hand up to her neck. "long brown hair. And she answers to the name of Dawn."

"Summers?" 

"Yeah. Have you seen her?"

"Hang on a second."

Anne disappeared inside the building for a moment and when she returned she was with Dawn.

"Dawnie!" Tara exclaimed.

"What do you guys want?" Dawn asked.

"To take you home. Get your things." Willow answered.

Dawn disappeared inside.

"Sorry to hear about Buffy," Anne said.

"Yeah."

Dawn came back and they left the hostel. They walked back to the Hyperion. Dawn and Tara waited outside and Willow went in. She sat down on the sofa and cried. angel, Cordelia, Lorne, Gunn, Wesley and Fred walked in.

"Okay. Can I say it? I wanna say it," Angel pleaded.

"Say what?" Wesley asked.

"There's no place like..." Angel began.

"Willow?" Cordelia asked.

"What's?" Wesley began.

Willow stood up and looked at Angel.

"It's Buffy," Angel finished, tears welling.

"Buffy?" Cordelia asked. "What's happened?"

"She's dead," Angel said, tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Dead? Dead how?" Cordelia asked.

"Dead how? In the not breathing way," Angel snapped.

"I know, I mean how did she die?"

Dawn and Tara walked into the Hyperion and stood with Willow.

"It's my fault," Dawn announced. 

"Dawn?" Cordelia asked. "How?"

"It turns out she has only been alive for a year and she is some mystical glowy key thing. A hell god called Glory came to Sunnydale to get her key so that she could go home and she had a mortal alter ego, Ben and that Dawn needed to be drained of her blood and then a portal would open and hell would be unleashed on earth until she died and then it would close. She got bled and Buffy sacrificed herself so that Dawn got to live," Tara explained.

"Oh my god," Cordelia gasped. "You were there since always though. Since when you and Buffy moved to Sunnydale."

"Turns out the monks did some mojo and changed the memories of everyone and made it so that mom and dad had two kids instead of just Buffy," Dawn explained.

"I can't believe Buffy's dead," Wesley said.

"Well that's the news. I take it you're all coming to the funeral?" Willow asked.

"We'll be there," Cordelia said.

"It'll have to be at night time though, what with all the sun," Wesley said.

"You guys gonna come?" Dawn asked Fred, Gunn and Lorne.

"I can't I never knew her and so I don't think it would be my place to impose," Gunn said.

"I definately can't I got Caritas to rebuild," Lorne explained.

"Well Fred will have to come. We can't leave her here on her own," Cordelia said. "Better get some tacos."

"So you coming back to Sunnydale now?" Willow asked.

"Yeah we just need to pack," Cordelia said. "I'll have to go back to my apartment to get some stuff and Fred can borrow, Gunn you go and collect some things you will need and Angel you go pack." 

Cordelia and Fred left the hotel. Angel, Gunn, Willow and Tara walked upstairs to pack. Dawn stayed downstairs with Lorne. 

"So who are you?" Dawn asked.

"Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok clan," Lorne replied. "My friends call me either the host or Lorne."

Dawn nodded. 

Cordelia and Fred walked back to Cordelia's apartment and then went off on his own. Cordelia unlocked the door and she walked inside, Fred hung around outside.

"Fred, are you gonna come in?" Cordelia asked.

"What? Oh, silly me. Not coming inside. Never know what's out there," Fred muttered as she walked inside.

Cordelia went into her bedroom and got a bag from the top of her wardrobe. She opened the doors and grabbed a handful of clothes. She placed them all in the bag. And decided to change into regular clothes from the queen clothes from Pylea. She went into the bathroom and got changed into some jeans and a top.

"I guess we'd best get you some clothes as well. You can't go around Sunnydale wearing those slave rags," Cordelia said.

Cordelia got another bag and got another handful of clothes.

_I suppose these will be fine. Anything has to be better than what she is already wearing._

She zipped up the bags and carried them to the front room where Fred was standing. She disappeared back into her bedroom and brought out a top and some sweat pants. She handed them to Fred.

"Go into the bathroom and get changed into those," Cordelia told her and she pointed to the bathroom.

Fred disappeared. Cordelia waited and then Fred emerged wearing the clothes. Fred picked up the bags and started toward the door.

"What are you doing?" Cordelia asked.

"Carrying these. I have to get used to doing chores," Fred explained.

"I'll carry those. You don't have to do any chores any more, well many anyway." Cordelia took the bags and they left the apartment and they began the long silent walk back to the hotel.

Gunn had packed his bag and was back in the hotel lobby with Lorne and Dawn.

"Hey," Gunn said as he stepped off the stairs.

"Hey," Lorne said.

Dawn just sat in silence, not knowing what to say.

"So you're sister was a slayer, huh?" Lorne asked.

"**The** slayer," Dawn replied.

"Sorry to hear about the loss," Gunn said. "I know how it feels. Mine died as well, but she was vampified."

"Sorry," Dawn said.

"Who do you think will be called now?" Lorne asked.

"No one," Dawn replied.

"Huh?"

"Buffy wasn't the slayer, okay she was in the sense that she didn't go evil and kill people. There is another slayer, Faith. In prison here in L.A. and so unless she dies no other will be called," Dawn said. "I wonder what will happen now. If she'll be released or not." 

"I doubt it. She won't get released just to fight evil." Gunn said. "They'll think she's some crackpot looney."

Angel sat on his bed. Willow and Tara stood at the sides.

"You really should pack these if your coming to Sunnydale," Willow said as she held up some of his clothes.

"I'm sorry," Angel apologised. "It's just she's here one minute and gone the next."

"We know h-how you f-feel," Tara said. 

"Well I'd best get going," Angel said as he took the clothes from Willow and he put them in the bag.

"Well I know we were never on hugging terms, but if it comforts a little," Willow said. She wrapped her arms around him. He returned the embrace.

"You go downstairs, I need to finish packing and I need to change," Angel said. Willow and Tara left the room and Angel packed his clothes. He changed and returned to the group downstairs. Gunn had already returned.

However Cordelia and Fred weren't back yet. That was when Angel heard the scream. He grabbed a sword from the open weapons cabinet and ran outside to seen who was making all of the noise. It was Fred. A vampire was lunging at her neck as she collapsed to the floor.

"Hey you!" Cordelia shouted, the vampire spun around and connected with her fist. The vampire just continued toward Fred's neck though while Cordelia shook her fist free of pain.

"Hey buddy!" Angel said as he walked forward. "Stay away from Fred and Cordy." He swung the sword and the vampire's head rolled off and turned to dust. Cordelia pulled Fred up and they walked inside the Hyperion. Fred sat down on the sofa and Angel put the sword away. 

"Here," Dawn said. She opened her bag and pulled out a sword. She gave it to Angel, who put it away.  
"Thanks, Dawnie," Angel said. "Where did you get this sword from?" 

"Here. I came in through the open window in room 25 and came down here. The hotel was empty and so I got a weapon for protection," Dawn explained.

Angel nodded.

"I'd better go," Lorne said and he left the hotel.

"Shall we get going then?" Willow asked. "The train will be arriving at the station soon."

"Yeah," Cordelia said, she picked up her and Fred's bags and headed for the door. The rest of the gang followed suit. They headed to the station. 

"Hey Fred, nice change from the rags," Gunn said. 

"Thanks. They're Cordelia's. She's letting me borrow them. When we get back here I'll have to get some clothes of my own and give Cordelia's back," Fred explained, quickly.

"So, Cordelia what exactly were you wearing when you walked into the hotel?" Willow asked.

"My clothes that I wore as Princess of Pylea," Cordelia said.

"You? A princess?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, I had a vision and they made me princess," Cordelia answered.

"Y-you have visions?" Tara asked.

"Only of when someone human is gonna get hurt," Cordelia explained. "The Powers That Be send them to me and we act upon them and they leave me with a headache that feels like someone shot me through the head." 

"Oh," Willow said.

They got to the station and waited for fourteen minutes until the train came, late. They boarded the train and sat down on the seats. They arrived in Sunnydale about an hour later.

"Here we are. Home sweet home," Cordelia said.

"Yeah. With an improved state of hellish horror," Willow said.

"Come on, Dawnie. Let's go home," Tara said. They exited the station and walked back to 1630 Revello Drive.

"Same house?" Angel asked.

"Same house, but with more memories," Willow replied. She and Angel led the way. Tara trailed behind with Dawn.

"How you doing?" Tara asked.

"Good," Dawn answered. "You?"

"Fine," Tara replied. "Why did you run away?"

"I couldn't deal and also they lacked remorse when Buffy died," Dawn replied. "They hardly even cried."

"Actually, they cried a lot. We all did," Tara explained.

"Sorry, guess I shouldn't have ran away like that. Should have stuck around. Sorry I was so much trouble," Dawn apologized.

"Where did you get the money from?" Tara asked.

"I went home and packed, then I went to the Magic Box and borrowed $100 from Giles," Dawn explained.

"Borrowed?" Tara asked.

"Yeah. I'll pay it back, eventually," Dawn replied.

Tara nodded and she and Dawn picked up a speed. 

"Cordelia, where exactly are we going?" Gunn asked.

Cordelia stopped fiddling with her hair, "To Buffy's house."

"So you and her were like friends?" Fred asked.

"Not in so many words," Cordelia replied.

"So why so eager to come to the girl with the goofy name's funeral?" Fred asked. 

"It's Buffy. I came 'cause someone needed to be here for Angel," Cordelia replied. "She was the love of his life and now she's gone. And plus she treated me like a friend. Most of the time."

"Uh - huh," Gunn said.

"We're here," Cordelia announced.

Willow and Angel were already up the garden path, quickly rejoined by Tara, Dawn, Gunn, Cordelia, Fred and Wesley. Angel knocked on the door, Giles opened it and the gang walked inside. Xander and Anya had already gone home.

"Hello Angel," Giles said.

"Giles," Cordelia said. "You know Wesley. This is Gunn and that's Fred."

"Hello," Giles said. "I'd best be off."

"Bye Giles," Cordelia said. Giles got his coat and left the house.

"Dawn, you should go to bed," Willow said.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Dawn asked the gang, making it clear that they were welcome to stay.

"Here," Willow said. 

"Willow, you and Tara should take mom's old room. It's the biggest and so it makes more sense. I'll be sleeping in my room and the someone should take Buffy's room," Dawn suggested.

"I vote Angel," Cordelia said.

"No. One of you guys should. I'm nocturnal, so I don't need as much sleep," Angel said.

"Yes Cordelia, you and Fred take Buffy's old room. Me, Gunn or Angel will take the couch and then the two unlucky ones can sleep on the floor," Wesley said.

"Night. We're beat," Dawn announced and she and the other females walked upstairs. "I'll get three sleeping bags." She walked into her mom's old room and returned with three folded sleeping bags. 

She handed Cordelia one and threw the others downstairs. Cordelia and Fred walked into Buffy's old room, Tara and Willow to Mrs' Summers old room and Dawn to her own. 

"You take the bed," Cordelia said. "You should get used to comfy-ness." 

Fred got into the bed and Cordelia into the sleeping bag. She zipped it up and tried to sleep.

Wesley got to sleep on the sofa, Gunn and Angel got the bags. Wesley and Gunn had been asleep for hours. Angel however, stood in the dining room, staring out of the window. He heard a creak on the stairs, Cordelia appeared at the bottom.

"Hey," Angel greeted. "What you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. Figured Dawn wouldn't mind if I borrowed some of her water," Cordelia replied. Angel nodded, Cordelia walked into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water.

"So how you dealing?" Cordelia asked. "I mean what with Buffy's death and all." 

"Fine," Angel replied.

"Y'know, you're a rubbish liar," Cordelia remarked.

"Yeah. Okay, not dealing well," Angel admitted.

"See," Cordelia said.

"I love her more than I will ever love anything in this life," Angel said, tears formed in his eyes. 

"Hey. I know," Cordelia told him. She put her water glass on the table. He broke down and she held him. That's where they fell asleep.

The next morning Cordelia was woken by a knock at the door. She was o longer holding Angel. She stood up and unlocked the door. Xander, Anya and Giles walked in.

"Thank you, Miss Chase," Xander greeted his ex.

"Xander!" Anya snapped.

"What?" Xander asked as he turned to look at his fiance. "It's only Cordy."

"So how you been?" Cordelia asked. "It's been like 2 years." 

"Holding up well, apart from the apocalyptic evil and world endiness," Xander replied. "Nice hair." 

"Thanks. I felt like a change," Cordelia embraced Xander who returned the hug.

"Anya. How've you been doing? Doing evil?" Cordelia asked.

"I'm not evil any more," Anya replied.

"Oh," Cordelia said. "Hey Giles, been doing retired watcher dude stuffs?" 

"No," Giles replied.

"Well I'd best go get changed into some proper clothes," Cordelia said and she walked upstairs. She got to the top and walked into Buffy's old room to get some clothes. Fred was awake and was talking to Angel.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, just need some clothes," Cordelia explained. She got her clothes and went to the bathroom to change into the top and jeans. She finished in the bathroom and walked back to the room. She passed Angel as she reached the door.

"Fred? Are you going to get changed?" Cordelia asked.

"What?" Fred asked. Cordelia seemed to have snapped Fred out of the trance like state she had been in.

"Getting changed," Cordelia repeated. She sat down on the floor.

"Oh, sorry. I'm going now," Fred replied. "Meet you downstairs." 

She got up from the bed and opened her bag to get a pair of sweatpants and a top. She then plodded to the bathroom.

Cordelia stood up and investigated the room. Looking in things and stuff. _Buffy really did have nice stuff. Just not so nice clothes or hairstyles,_ Cordelia thought.

She left the room and walked downstairs. Dawn was awake and so was everyone else. They had all changed as well. Xander, Anya and Giles had made themselves comfortable.

Suddenly, there was a hammer at the door, Angel opened it and a smoking black blur ran inside. It was Spike. He had put the duster over his head.

The gang all got acquainted with people they had never met before and then there they stayed until the night fell. 

Spike stayed with Dawn at the house, whilst the rest of the gang went out and patrolled. Dawn had begged to go with them, but Willow had said no, that it was too dangerous.

Dawn sat on the couch and Spike was sitting in a chair opposite. He had got some cards. 

"Wanna play a game of Rummy?" the blonde vampire asked.

"Y'know you really don't have to stay," Dawn said as Spike shuffled the cards. "They might need you." 

"Yeah Niblet, I do. They might need me and you might need me here to protect you. They have two powerful wiccas, two ex watchers, an ex demon, a princess, 3 humans and a vampire," Spike said. "Guess Red thought you would be safer with Big Bad to protect you."

Spike dealed the cards and then they played Rummy.

In the cemetery...

Xander was being pursued by a vampire. He ran and reached a dead end. He spun to face his pursuer, his only weapon, a stake. The vamp ran at him and punched Xander in the stomach. Clutching the spot where the vamp had punched him, he headed butted it. It stopped running and stood still. Xander turned to run and run he did. That was until he tripped over a log. He lay there for a second then he rolled onto his back. The undead had caught up with him. It bent over Xander, lunging, for his neck and it turned to dust. It hadn't seen the stake in Xander's arm. 

Anya had faced her attacker until it had backhanded her. 

"Giles! Giles!" She screamed, knowing Giles and Wesley weren't far.

Giles appeared with Wesley and they fought the vampire. Then Giles staked it. 

Gunn and Fred had been paired off, as had Giles and Wesley, Willow and Tara, Cordelia and Angel and Xander and Anya. However, Xander and Anya had been split up.

Fred observed Gunn while he killed the vampire that attacked.

_Only human and so experienced,_ Fred thought. _He must have been doing it all his life._

She watched him block, punch, kick and finally dust the vampire. 

Willow and Tara were cornered by two vampires. Willow sent a fireball at the closest, it ignited and dusted.

_That's what you get for being all flammable,_ Red thought.

Tara however was not having so much luck. The vamp was beating on her. It punched her in the face and it got hit by a branch. Willow had found the Potential weapon on the floor and had used it to send it onto the floor. Tara bent down and staked it.

Angel and Cordelia were putting up a good fight against the three forces of evil that attacked. Angel was dealing with two and Cordelia took on the last.

She hit him upside the head, which gave her an advantage. She took it. She kicked the vamp in the face and then she backhanded it and did a roundhouse, sending it to the floor. She pulled out an axe and cut off it's head, the dust littered the floor. 

She turned to watch Angel in action.

He kicked one of the vampires in the chest and the other in the face. They both fell down, Angel landed on his feet. He staked the first one and turned to see the female vampire's fist connect with his face. He grabbed her fist mid punch and pushed her backward. Angel threw the stake into her heart, dust.

He sensed someone watching him, he turned and saw Cordelia, they looked into each other's eyes. They finished looking, they walked back and rejoined the others, arms linked. From there they walked back to Dawn's house.

Willow opened the front door and they walked inside. Gunn closed the door.

"Hey, Red," Spike said. Dawn had gone to bed, standing up from the couch he picked up his duster, put it on and headed for the door. 

"Spike, where ya going?" Xander asked.

"To my crypt," Spike replied.

"If you wait we'll walk with you," Anya suggested.

"Uh... yeah" Spike said, shocked by the revelation that they wanted to walk with him. 

"How was Dawn?" Tara asked.

"Fine. We played some Rummy and then she went to bed," the blonde vamp explained.

Willow nodded. Angel and Cordelia sat down.

"So what's the what for tomorrow?" Wesley asked, taking his glasses off to clean them.

"The what? Since when did you talk all American?" Xander asked.

"I don't know," Wesley replied, cleaning his glasses.

"We're going to the funeral director's," Giles said.

Wesley put his glasses back on, "To pick out the coffin or epitaph?" 

"Both," Willow replied.

"I think Dawn should pick the epitaph," Angel said.

They nodded at the idea.

"We're going home now," Anya said as she, Xander and Spike stood. They walked to the door, "Bye." And they went.

"I think we should all go to bed," Tara said. "We have an early start tomorrow."

They went to bed, except Cordelia and Angel. Angel sat down in the biggest chair. Cordelia sat next to him, feet tucked underneath her body, her head resting on Angel's chest. She fell asleep, he stroked her hair, that is what he did all night.

The next morning Cordelia was woken by the sound of clattering in the kitchen, Angel was already awake. They got up from the chair and went to see what all the noise was. Dawn was making breakfast.

"What's the hubbub bub?" Dawn asked.

"What?" Cordelia and Angel asked in unison.

"I saw you sleeping together. You looked sweet," Dawn replied.

"Oh," Cordelia said.

"And Angel was stroking your hair," Dawn added.

"He was? You were?" Cordelia asked. 

"Sorry," Angel apologised.

"No, it's okay," Cordelia said.

Everyone else was still asleep. It was 6:00.

"I thought it was accustomed for teenagers to sleep in till all hours of the day," Angel said.

"Well not in my house," Dawn flinched at what she said.

"Um... how exactly do we all plan on going to the funeral director's?" Cordelia asked.

"It's called walking," Dawn said. 

"Yeah and if I remember correctly two vampires there," Cordelia said gesturing to Angel and meaning Spike obviously.

"Oh. The sewers is another good plan, but then again stinky sewer-ness won't make a good impression the funeral guy," Dawn said. 

"We'll figure something out," Angel left the kitchen.

Willow and Tara walked down the stairs, changed. Fred arrived later also changed. They waited for Gunn and Wesley to wake up. The door knocked, Spike ran inside joined by Anya and Xander.

"Hi guys," Angel said.

"Hi," Anya said. After a while Wesley woke up and then Gunn. Giles arrived last.

"So how will we get to the director's?" Angel asked gesturing to him and Spike.

"Could put your coats over your heads and pretend you're allergic to sunlight. Or we could go through sewers," Xander suggested.

"Coats would be best. At least we wouldn't stink," Spike finished.

They walked to the director's at a fast pace, smoking. Angel and Spike arrived first pulling their coats off of their heads before walking inside. They were later joined by the rest of the gang.

Willow walked to the front desk.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" the receptionist asked.

Willow looked up, "We have an appointment. Organizing Buffy Summers' funeral." 

"Okay. If you'd like to come this way," she said gesturing for them to follow her. "Sorry, you won't all be allowed to come."

Willow looked back.

"You should go you were closer to her than we were," Spike said, the others nodded.

Dawn, Willow, Tara, Giles, Xander and Anya followed the woman. The others sat down. 

They were taken to a giant room filled with coffins. They walked around, browsing. Willow and Xander were looking at a particular casket. Tara and Anya agreed that that was the one.

"What if she wouldn't have liked it?" Dawn wondered aloud.

Xander turned to look at her, "What?"

"I said what if she wouldn't have liked it," Dawn repeated.

"Oh. I think she would have liked any of them. As long as she got to rest in peace," Xander replied, he held her and followed the others out. The coffin arranged.

Next up, the hymns.

They were walked into an office. It was rather large with two leather chairs facing the desk. Dawn sat down in one and the other remained empty.

"Now what hymns will there be?" the receptionist asked.

"Buffy didn't want any," Dawn replied.

"Are you sure?" 

The others nodded.

"Well then two more things left and then you can go home," the woman said. "You are really brave, losing your sister and then coming here to arrange." 

"Thanks," Dawn whispered.

"Now when would you like the funeral to be?"

"As soon as possible," Willow replied.

"Well the only available date is next Tuesday. At 6:00."

"That's great," Xander said.

"Now what would you like the epitaph to say?"

The gang all looked at Dawn.

"What?" Dawn asked looking around at the people staring at her.

"Go ahead, Dawnie," Xander said.

"Me?" Dawn asked, tears filled her eyes.

"Yeah. We thought you should pick it."

"Okay. Well her name was Buffy Anne Summers so I guess t-that's first. She was b-born in 1981 and died in 2001. Um... I guess it should say something about her friends. Devoted friend. Beloved sister. She saved the world a lot. Oh, but can you make the thing about me before the friend part?"

"Okay, thank you. And that's an interesting choice of words for the last line," the receptionist finished.

They left the office and walked back to the others.

"Did you do it?" Cordelia asked.

"I think it's obvious they did, they're back," Gunn remarked.

"When is it?" Wesley asked.

"Next Tuesday," Willow said.

They nodded.

"What's the epitaph gonna say?" Angel asked.

"Buffy Anne Summers, 1981-2001, Beloved Sister, Devoted Friend, She save the world a lot," Dawn finished. 

Angel smiled.

"Where will you go after?" Giles turned to look at Angel.

"Back to L.A.," the ensouled vampire replied. The sunlight seeping through the window. "We should go. Think I'd rather ignite on the way back."

They left the director's, following Spike and Angel. Angel opened the front door and held it for the others. Both Angel and Spike had dark circles under his eyes from lack of blood. However, Spike's showed more because he was paler.

"Someone should get you guys some blood," Winifred said, noticing the circles.

"I'll go," Charles offered. "Just point me in direction of the butcher shop."

"I'll come with," Xander said, standing. They walked to the door and left.

"I'll make dinner," Tara announced, she walked into the kitchen.

"I'll help you with that," Anya announced, following.

"So Dawnie, I think it's nice what Buffy's headstone will say," Cordelia said. "Not to sound morbid, I just thought it was nice."

"Yes. Nice choice of words," Wesley agreed.

"Thanks," Dawn looked at Buffy's former watcher.

"So was that Buffy chick, like, your girlfriend?" Gunn asked.

"In what sense of the word? If you mean in the she's a girl and she's my friend way then yes, she was my best friend as well as Willow. If you mean in the I love You in more than a friendly way then no. Anya's the only girl for me," Xander looked at Gunn. "Are you Cordelia's boyfriend? Or Fred's?" 

"Neither," Gunn replied. "I think Cordy and Angel have some form of chemistry though."

"I know what you mean."

They finished the relationship talk and walked in silence to and from the butcher.

Xander pushed the door open and was entranced by the smell of Chinese. He walked into the kitchen and put most of the blood in the refrigerator, leaving two bags out. He walked into the dining room.

"We left you some, Xander," Cordelia handed him a bag of Chinese food. Gunn was already eating.

"Here," Xander handed the blood to Spike and Angel. They vamped out and bit into the bags. "Hey guys, not at the table."

He opened the bag and ate. After they ate they sat around doing nothing, until they got tired and either went home or to bed.

Spike, Giles, Xander and Anya walked home at the same time. The others took to the same sleeping arrangements as the night previous. 

Willow woke up and got out of bed. She glanced at the clock.

_3:17,_ she thought. _My head doesn't work this early in the morning._

She walked over to the window, looking out. She stared at the early Sunday morning moon, full.

She got back into bed and slept.

The next morning was like the others. They did nothing, except patrol at night and sleep. They continued this arrangement and went out to fight the fight each night, until Tuesday morning, Buffy's funeral.

Dawn had invited Hank, but she wasn't too sure on if he'd show.

The gang got changed in turn, looking smart, sophisticated and presentable. They left the house later that day and walked to the church, silence.

They got into the church proper and Angel, Cordelia and Wesley looked at the body, the Scoobies and the rest of Angel's gang sat down.

_She looks peaceful,_ Angel thought.

The ceremony was long and upsetting, then came the burial. Dawn sobbed silently, Cordelia and Angel held each other, Anya cried, Xander hugged her and Willow, Tara cried onto Willow's shoulder, Giles stood crying with Dawn and Spike just cried. The body was lowered into the hole and buried.

The priest left the gang to look and remember. Angel put the rose he had been holding onto the newly buried earth. The gang looked at the epitaph :

**BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS**  
**1981-2001**   
**BELOVED SISTER**  
**DEVOTED FRIEND**  
**SHE SAVED THE WORLD A LOT**

When they were done they walked back to the house. A vampire attacked. She had blonde hair and wore funeral attire.

_Buffy,_ Angel thought. He looked at the face. It wasn't Buffy. "You guys go. We'll deal." Angel and Spike took the vampire on.

"Uh... unless it left your mind we have nothing to stake her with," Spike realised.

"Get a branch off a tree or a stick."

Angel punched the vampire in the face, Spike picked up a stick off of the floor. He threw it to Angel and he staked it.

"We best follow," Spike said.

He and Angel walked back to the house.

"I guess you'll be going tomorrow then," Giles said as Angel walked inside.

"Uh huh," the ensouled vampire replied. 

"Where's Niblet?" Spike asked looking for Dawn. 

"The Dawnster went to bed, she was beat," Xander explained.

Spike nodded, "I can't believe the bastard didn't go to his own daughter's funeral."

"Spike. I'm sure there was a good reason."

"What more important than his daughter's funeral?"

"I stand by what I said earlier."

"We should be going," Anya grabbed Xander's arm.

"Yeah. We'll be back tomorrow to see you guys off," Xander stood up and he and Anya walked to the door. "Bye."

The door shut. 

"I can't believe the bastard didn't go to his own daughter's funeral," Spike had said. The words ran around Dawnie's head. She threw a cushion at the wall. _I guess that's all he is, really. I mean, he abandoned us all our lives, even after mom died._ She sobbed silently and went to sleep. 

"I should fix the bot. We don't want the underworld or even the real world finding out Buffy's dead," Willow said.

"The what?" Angel asked.

"The bot. It's a robot of Buffy, someone had it built for special purposes," Tara explained, glancing at Spike who cleared his throat.

"I'll go and get it," Willow disappeared upstairs and came down later with a head. It had wires sticking out of the bottom. She passed it to Angel.

"Wow. Whoever built this is really talented. It's so lifelike," Angel said examining the head in his hands. 

"I know," Tara said.

"I'll get started on that tomorrow," Willow said.

"How much does it act like her?" Angel asked.

"Oh. Not very well. It just made us think it was really Buffy, is all. We figured it out after Xander and Anya saw it doing something to Spike in the cemetery," Willow explained, trying to lie as best she could. 

"So it was built for Spike?" Cordelia asked.

"You get that from what I said?" Willow asked. "I guess you really have changed."

"We all have," Wesley replied.

"It's amazing. In high school you were so shallow and then I found out you were working for Angel and thought how he would cope, but seeing you here now, it changes my thoughts about you a lot."

"Well I got the visions and now I see how many people actually need help. And hey I was so not that shallow," Cordelia joked.

"How exactly do they work?" Rupert asked.

"Well, The Powers That Be send them to me and we act upon them," the brunette explained. "Or I get left with a splitting headache."

Giles nodded, "I'd best be off."

"Bye Giles," Willow and Tara said. "Will you be coming tomorrow?"

Giles nodded and left the house.

"I'm gonna take a stroll," Spike said. "Won't be back."

"Bye," the gang said, Spike left too.

Dawn woke up. She had had the same dream she had had for the while that Buffy had been dead for. Except there was a slight change tonight. She was the sacrificee. She killed herself to save the world, not Buffy. _The world would have been better off if I had died._

Footsteps. Willow and Tara's they were going to bed. Dawn pretended to be asleep. They walked past her room though. 

Gunn had just gone to sleep, he and Wesley switched places, taking the couch for more of a hopeful good nights sleep.

"She looked so peaceful," Angel whispered to Wes, Fred and Cordy.

"I know," Cordelia whispered back. "I saw. We all did." 

Wesley slid into the sleeping bag.

"I wonder how Lorne's doing with the rebuild of Caritas," Wesley wondered aloud.

"Can't have done much." 

More footsteps. This time singular. Fred. Dawn had woken from her "sleep" and was thinking more about Buffy's sacrifice. _The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me._ They were Buffy's last words, they rang through her mind. She fell asleep again.

Wesley was snoring, quietly. Cordelia had fallen asleep in Angel's arms. He picked her up and walked up the stairs with her. He undid the sleeping bag and put her inside, zipping it back up after. He propped her head upon pillows and she didn't wake.

He walked back downstairs and picked up his duster. He unlocked the door and put on his coat, then he closed and locked the door using the key under a big rock in front of the house.

From there he walked to the cemetery, to Buffy's grave. He stood and grieved. _It really is a great choice of words._

He sensed something watching him, watching the grave.

"What do you want Spike?" Angel asked turning to face the vampire. Spike walked forward.

"I'm remembering. She was my friend too," Spike explained his actions.

"How could you like her? She was the slayer and you don't have a soul," Angel asked.

"I grew to like her. After the chip, I took on a new job and I helped." 

"And you loved her and had the sex bot built because of the reasons that were those?"

"I loved her. The bot was a stupid toy."

"Just go home, Spike." 

Spike took his Grandsire's advice and went. Angel stood and grieved some more, he sat down and just remembered Buffy. The time they grew to love each other in Buffy's last year at college and then the not so good times when he turned evil and killed Jenny and in turn got killed by Buffy.

He stayed there until the sun came up and then he walked back to the Summers' house.

He got back to the house and took off his duster, he unfolded the sleeping bag for the first time since his stay at the house, got inside and slept.

He was woken the next morning by the others talking. He got up and saw that he was the last to wake and that Xander, Anya and Giles were already there.

He walked into the kitchen to get a blood bag, Cordelia was eating breakfast in the room.

"Hey," she whispered greeting the person that joined her in the room.

"Hey. Sorry about last night," Angel apologised.

"Hey it's okay," Cordelia accepted. "Where did you go anyway? I heard the front door close."

"I went to look at the grave," Angel explained.

Cordelia nodded, "And you got back when?" 

"Just before sun up."

Cordelia nodded again, "You stayed there all night."

Angel walked to the fridge and pulled out a bag, vamped out and drank. 

The gang left at noon and headed to the station. Angel carried four bags and Cordelia carried the last. They stood waiting at the station. Just before the train arrived Cordelia hugged each of her Sunnydale friends, Angel, Wesley and Gunn shook hands with the Sunnydalers, whereas shyness got the better of Fred. The train arrived and they boarded. The Scoobies waved them off and then headed back to the house.

"I'd best get started on the bot when we get back," Willow announced. 

"Will, do you think it was a good idea telling Angel about the bot?" Xander asked.

"I think he had a right to know."

"Well what are you going to do to it?" Anya looked at the red head.

"I'll erase the memory and recreate it so that it works as a sister, friend and slayer instead of..." Willow explained trailing off of the subject.

They got back to the emptier house. Willow walked upstairs and got the rest of the bot. She laid it on the sofa and opened up it's stomach. She got a connector and plugged it into her lap top. First she reconnected the head, connecting wires for it to work. Next she opened it up and erased all of the memory. Then she started the long process of reinstalling stuff.

"Hey Dawnie do you wanna come help pack our stuff?" Tara asked.

"Where are you going?" Dawn asked looking up at the wiccan.

"Here. We're moving in. I need mucho help in packing thought. While Willow fixes the bot," Tara responded the girl.

"Okay." 

"You guys coming?" Tara asked Xander, Anya and Giles.

"Yeah, shall we bring Will's stuff as well?" Xander asked.

"Yeah."

The gang walked out of the house and left Willow alone with the bot. 

They got to the college and went into Willow and Tara's dorm. They had brought boxes and Willow and Tara had bags and suitcases in the room already. They were planning to get all the stuff into Giles' car.

They helped pack and carry. Then they drove home with all the stuff. 

"Hey Will, fixed her yet!" Xander shouted as he got into the house.

"Uh huh," the red head replied. "She's all powered up and ready for action."

Xander gave her a look, "Not that kind of action."

"So will the power last forever?" Dawn asked.

"No, she will need to be charged up after each patrol. Listen to me talking like she's some battery," Willow explained.

"Have you tested it yet?" Anya asked.

"Anya I don't think Willow rebuilt it for that," Xander looked at his fiance. 

"Xander, I meant trained it. So have you?"

"Not as of yet. Thinking I could take it to the shop and Giles could test it," Willow explained.

"Or here," Dawn looked into the kitchen at the bot. It's eyes snapped open. "Could train in the basement."

"Dawn," the Buffy bot walked into the room and hugged it's non biological sister.

"Buffy bot," Dawn said.

"Hey your coming with us," Willow said she and Giles walked to the door. Buffy bot followed and got into the car. They drove to the shop.

Tara and the others took all the stuff up to Mrs Summers' old room and dumped all of the bags and boxes. Then they headed to the Magic Box. 

Giles had on his padded gloves and Buffy bot was kicking and punching accurately. The shop bell rang. Willow, Giles and Buffy Bot were joined by the others.

"I see she works well then," Xander said. 

"Should stop training, she could blow a fuse or the power could run out before patrol tonight," Giles told Willow. 

"You're right," Willow accepted the ex watcher's point.

Angel and his crew got off of the train and walked back to the Hyperion. They dumped their bags in the lobby and then relaxed with some drinks. Angel took his bag upstairs along with Gunn's and Fred who carried her own.

Angel out his bag in Gunn's room and his in his and took Fred's.

"Pick a room," Angel told the ex slave.

"What in the hotel?" Fred asked.

"Uh huh."

They walked up the corridor and Fred picked the one a few doors along from Angel's.

They rejoined the gang downstairs.

"Hey Cordy is it okay if Fred borrows the clothes from you one more day and then you can have them back? We'll go shopping tomorrow," Angel asked.

"Yeah sure. Just make sure they're washed properly," Cordelia replied. 

"Really?" Fred asked.

"I said yeah didn't I."

"Not that. The thing about shopping," Fred looked at Angel.

"Yeah," Angel replied.

"But I don't have any money."

"Let's just say it's a gift."

Fred ran across the room and hugged him. 

"Thanks, Fred."

A woman walked into the hotel looking worried and distraught.

"Are you Angel?" she asked.

"No that's him," Cordelia replied pointing at Angel.

"Oh hi," she walked across the room and shook his hand. "I have a case."

"And you would be?" Angel asked.

"Oh sorry, I'm Chloe," Chloe replied.

"Hi Chloe, if you'd like to step into my office," Angel said, Wesley looked up at him. "Sorry he'll deal."

"But I thought you were Angel," Chloe said.

"I am but he's the boss."

"If you'd like to step this way," Wesley said. 

Tara ducked as the vampire punched. His face connected with Buffy bot's foot. And he went the other way. Into Spike's fist. Buffy bot was ready and stuck her stake into the heart.

"That'll put marzipan in your pie plate bingo," she said helping Tara up. 

"Okay," Tara said at the bot's choice of words, ignoring it thinking it was just a thing.

They joined the gang and left the cemetery. They walked back to the house, disbanding of Giles, Xander, Anya and Spike along the way.

Dawn went to bed and Willow and Tara went afterward. They walked up the stairs into the room.

They got ready for bed and then got inside. 

"Do you believe dead people go to alternate realities?" Tara asked.

"What like heaven and hell?"

"Uh huh."

"Yeah. But I guess there must be more hell dimensions that heavenly ones seeing as most things get sent to hell because of evil."

"Do you think Buffy," 

"Could be in a dimension?"

Tara nodded, " A bad one most probably. I mean the portal was to send Glory home and maybe that's where Buffy is."

Willow had started to cry, "I can't just leave her there."

"We'll talk in the morning."

Willow fell asleep. She woke up with a scream.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?" Tara asked. 

"Nothing. Guess I had a bad dream."

Willow and Tara laid back down. Soon Tara was snoring lightly.

_In that dream, or should I say nightmare it was horrible. All the torment and suffering and I think I saw Buffy._

"Hey guys," Dawn stepped into the kitchen.

"Do you want some breakfast?" Tara asked.

"Uh... sure." 

"What would you like?"

"Um toast's fine."

Dawn sat down at the countertop. "So what we doing today?"

"You have school and we have a Scooby meeting at Xander's so Spike will be here with you."

"School. Yay me. What's the what?"

Tara passed Dawn her breakfast, "What's the what about what?"

"The Scooby meeting. Is there some big 'ol demon rising for the earth?" 

"No just a meeting," Tara replied.

"So will Spike be here when I get home from school?"

"No you will come to the Magic Box and then home from there."

Dawn took a couple of bites out of her toast and then left for school. Tara and Willow walked to the Magic Box. 

Angel, Gunn and Wesley walk up the stairs to the address given to the by Chloe.

"So what's her deal?" Gunn asked.

"Her son was turned into a vampire. He led her to here and she said something about this is where he was nesting," Wesley replied. 

"Cool."

They knocked on the door and rushed inside. Angel pulled of the sheet and started to fight. There were seven vampires, Angel took on three, Gunn and Wesley took on the other four. Angel connected his fist with the vampire's face and heard a bone break, then he kicked the vampire in the stomach and he sprawled onto the floor. The other vampire next to Angel kicked him in the face. His fist connected with her face and she flew backward. Angel got out a stake and blocked the last vampires attacks and then dusted him, the other two rushed at him from both side, Angel dusted them both.

Gunn got punched in the stomach and Wesley backhanded two vampires. Angel rushed to help. Gunn got back up and punched the vampire upside it's head. Wesley kicked the vampire that was on the floor and then he staked her. Gunn staked the one he had been fighting and Angel fought the others. They backhanded him and then round housed him sending him to the floor. Angel pushed his legs forward and flipped up. He punched both of the vampires and then turned them to dust.

Later in Sunnydale...

"I was in a tormented place. It was bad. I think I saw Buffy," Willow told the gang her dream.

"I thought you said it was nothing," Tara said.

"I did."

"So what now? Now that we know where Buffy could be or how she is being treated?" Xander asked.

"We bring her back," Willow admitted her master plan.

"Resurrect her you mean? Willow your talking about raising the dead. Not just the dead, Buffy, the slayer. What if she comes back wrong?"

"I'm telling you she won't."

"And you know this how exactly?" Anya asked.

"I just know that she's being tormented in some hell dimension like Angel was and I'm not gonna leave her there." 

"So what now?" Xander asked.

"We agree that this is our plan," Willow said. "I need you guys on board here."

"So are we agreed?" Tara asked. 

"Agreed," Anya and Xander said.

"Now we need a boss of the group," Willow said.

"Willow should be boss," Xander said immediately.

"Okay," Anya said.

"What ingredients do we need?" Xander asked. "For the spell I mean."

"We have some at home, but we will need to get some more. The spell we will be using is in a book there. We just need an Urn Of Osiris," Willow replied.

"The Urn Of Osiris," Tara corrected. 

"The like in only one?" Xander asked.

Tara nodded.

"And we will find that how?"

"Look on the internet," Willow said.

"Under what website? 

"Very ironic," Willow snapped.

"Look on a search engine under Urn Of Osiris," Tara said.

"Check." 

Two months later Angel packed his bags and went on vacation. For three months.

The Scoobies continued their search for the ingredients and they patrolled each night for the rest of the summer holidays. Anya tried looking under the Magic Box supplier for the Urn of Osiris. They couldn't find it.

The large vampire was being pursued by Spike, who was being pursued by Tara and Giles. Giles had an axe and both Tara and Spike had a stake. Spike loses the vampire and roars in frustation.

He looks back at the other two, "I'm never gonna get anything killed with you lot holding me back."

"I thought the bigger ones were supposed to tire more easily," Tara panted.

"No that would be over-the-hill shopkeepers."

Giles leaned over a gravestone, gasping for breath, "I'm fine. I just need to die for a minute."

"It was that powder you blew at him, it made him rabbit off," Spike said to Tara.

"It was Sorbis Root, supposed to confuse it just made him kinda peppy," Tara explained.

Spike rolls his eyes at that, "It's not meant to mix with anything. Do you think he could be taking prescription medication?"

"Yeah, that must be it," Spike said, sarcastically.

"Good God, I hope he doesn't try to operate heavy machinery," Giles laughs at his own joke as does Spike.

"Yeah. We all could be in -" Spike began but was interrupted by Willow.

"Guys heads up," Willow said, telepathically. "The vampires circling back towards you at six o'clock."

They looked around for the vampire.

"Try to drive him back toward the Van Elton crypt," Willow continued.

"Van Elton?" Spike asked telepathically.

"Isn't that the one with the cute little gargoyles?" Tara asked.

They see the vampire running back toward them. He sees them and starts to go the opposite way.

"Left. Make him go left!" Willow continue.

Giles threw his axe at the vampire. It lands in the tree next to the vampire. It turns and goes left. Tara and Spike look back and Giles and then they run after the vampire. The vampire runs into a dead end. A fist. Buffy bot's.

"Big, fast, and dumb. Just the way I like 'em," Buffy bot said.

He sat up and Buffy kicked him in the face. She goes to stake him, he grabbed her arm and hit her with his other. Then he got up.

Tara and Giles grabbed the vampire's arms and Spike hit him twice in the face. Before the third punch hit his face the vampire headbutted Spike and sent him staggering backward.

"Sounds like the other units are engaged," Xander said to Anya.

"Xander, Anya, stop!" Willow said telepathically. They stopped running and look up at Willow startled. She is standing on top of a crypt.

"Great googly-moogly, Willow, would you quit doin' that?" Xander asked the wiccan.

"I told you I was going to get the lay of the land."

"But not the lay of my brain."

"It's kinda intrusive. I mean, you could knock first or something," Anya snapped.

"Xander -" Willow continued telepathically.

"I know, I know, I don't have to talk when I answer you, but I saw The Fury and that way lies spooky carnival death," Xander butted in.

There is a vampire lurking behind a crypt near Xander and Anya. "Xander! Vampire! Other side of that tomb. You can get the jump on him if you go the opposite way."

"Why didn't you just say so?" Xander asked walking around the crypt.

The big vampire threw Tara and Giles off of him, the Buffy bot runs at him and attempts to punch him. He blocks her moves and lifts her into a fireman's lift. He spins around so that her feet hit Spike in the face and then throws her at Tara.

"Tara, down!" Willow shouted, telepathically. Tara followed her order and ducks, the Buffy bot goes flying over her head, landing against a wall.

Giles pulls his axe out of the tree and swings it at the vamp. The vampire grabs it and hurls it around, Giles still attached. He lands against a wall and the vampire pushes the handle at his neck.

"Spike!" Giles gasped for air.

Spike jumps on the vamp's back and gets shrugged off. Spike stands back.

"Spike!" Giles gasped.

"What are you doing? Help him!" Willow shouted, telepathically.

"I did," Spike said lighting a cigarette. The vampire flails it's arms and looks behind to see it's shirt is ignited. He lets go of the axe and bursts into flamey dust. Spike takes a drag of the cigarette and pulls Giles up.

"You might have let me in on your plan while that thing throttled me!" Giles exclaimed rubbing his neck.

"Poor watcher. Did your life pass before your eyes? Cuppa tea, cuppa tea, almost got shagged, cuppa tea?" Spike asked.

"Guys, help Xander and Anya over at the Anderson tomb," Willow said. Giles, Spike and Tara ran off to help the others.

Xander's being held in a headlock.

"Xander!" Anya shouted, lunging at the vampire who merely steps sideways. She swings at him and he blocks the punch, he hits her and she falls backward.

"I got it!" Buffy bot ran over to help. Buffy bot kicks and he falls down. Xander falls onto the grass with Anya. He gets up and they exchange some more kicks and punches. He picks Buffy bot up and gets punched in the stomach by Spike. He drops Buffy and hits Spike. Spike falls onto the grass beside Anya and Xander and Buffy kicks the vampire down. She stakes him as he sits back up.

"That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!" she shouted triumphantly.

Willow climbs off of the crypt and joins the others.

"What's with the dadaism, Red?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, she says that marzipan, pie plate thing everytime she stakes a vamp now," Tara said helping Spike's point.

"I-I don't know. I tried programming in some new puns and ended up with word salad," Red answered.

"I think it's funny," Buffy bot looked at he reprogrammer.

The gang roll their eyes and start to walk back.

"It's a glitch and those I can fix," Willow said brightly.

"We can't having her messing up in front of the wrong person. Or wrong thing. We need the world and underworld to believe that Buffy is alive and well," Giles explained the situation.

"I will fix it. I got her head back on, didn't I? I also got her off those knock-knock jokes."

"Ooh! Who's there?" Buffy bot asked. The gang shook their heads.

"Y'know, if we want her to be exactly-" Xander began.

"She'll never be exactly," Spike corrected.

"I know."

"The only really real Buffy is really Buffy," Tara said.

"And she's gone," Giles finished. He and the gang continue their walk. The Buffy bot has stopped.

"If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone' who?" Buffy bot asked.

The next morning ...

"Where's my clog?" Willow asked. "I think there's a clog eating monster under the bed. It's those lesser-known monsters that make living in Sunnydale so hard."

Tara is looking in the closet. Willow stands up and goes to look around the other side of the bed.

"I believe that the name of that monster is Dawn. She borrowed them yesterday," Tara explained.

Willow knocks on Dawn's bedroom door, "Dawnie? Hey, are you up?" She opens the door and sees that Dawn isn't there.

"You okay?" Tara and Willow walk out into the hall.

Willow nodded, "Besides terror about today and a general feeling of impending doom, swell."

"Breakfast will make things all better," They stopped walking and Tara put her hands on Willow's shoulder.

Willow smiles and holds Tara's hands, "Ooh, pancakes could go in bellies." Tara kisses Willow and then goes back down the hall. Willow knocks on the bathroom door and walks inside.

"Dawnie?" Willow asked the girl brushing her teeth. "Hey, you! Today's the big day, huh? Kinda day that makes you wanna return clogs, don't ya think?"

"I don't have your clogs," Dawn said through a mouthful of toothpaste. Willow walks away.

"Morning," Willow said walking into the kitchen.

"Morning!" Buffy bot exclaimed.

"I was thinking we could go over your programming again."

"Again? You've done enough, sweetie. She's either ready to face this thing or she's not," Tara said as the last Summers' girl walked into the kitchen and sat at the counter.

"Here's some juice and pancakes are on their way. Funny shapes or rounds?" Tara asked.

"Rounds are fine. What's up with the mega witches?" Dawn replied.

"I don't know if you can call us mega. Willow maybe -" Tara began.

"No I mean who's gonna eat all those sandwiches?"

"Oops! She wanted to help. I got her started but not un-started," Tara explained.

The door opened and Xander walked in with his toolbox. "House of chicks, relax, I am a man, and I have a tool." He holds up his toolbox. "Tools. Lots of plural tools. In my toolbox. Ah! Sandwiches. Excellent. Men like sandwiches."

The Buffy bot smiled and handed him a pile of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

"Help yourself. Really. So why you here so early? Your macho-ness?" Willow asked.

"I brought that soldering wire you wanted for Buffy bot's tune up."

"You got funny shapes anyway, sorry," Tara said putting the pancakes onto Dawn's plate.

The phone rang.

"I'll get it!" Buffy bot exclaimed, walking to the phone.

"No!" Tara, Willow and Dawn exclaimed.

"It might be my dad. He said he would call today," Dawn explained.

"I'll say howdy. He's my biological ancestor," Buffy bot said.

"Hello? Hey, Anya. Really? That's fantastic! Anya found the thing for tonight," Willow said after picking up the phone.

"Yeah? Great," Xander said.

"And you're her sweet cookie face." 

"I go by many names," Xander smiled.

"What's tonight?" Dawn asked.

"A Scooby meeting. Spike will be here with you," Tara explained.

Willow put down the phone, "You know, Buffy bot, maybe you should let the machine answer the phone from now on. Okay?"

"I am the machine."

"The other machine."

"Is my phone manner incorrect?" Buffy bot asked.

"It's perfect, but we can't chance that Mr. Summers might call and know that something's wrong," Tara replied.

"If he thought the real Buffy was gone he could take Dawn away," Xander continued.

"And I wanna stay here with you and Willow and Tara. Understand?" Dawn asked.

Buffy bot smiles and walks over to Dawn, "I do! I want you to stay as well. You're my sister!" She hugs Dawn.

Xander, Tara and Willow look uncomfortable.

"Excellent. We're agreed. Sit your robo-self down so we can get to work. We gotta fix up the fighting skills pronto," Xander said. Buffy bot sits next to Dawn.

"We have bigger worries than her fighting skills today," Willow interrupted.

"Way bigger," Tara continued.

"I guess. Depends how highly you prize punning."

"I'm serious. Buffy bot's about to face her most dangerous challenge ever."

**WELCOME TO PARENT/TEACHER DAY**

"Okay, we'll make a quick lap so people can see you're here," Dawn explained.

Buffy bot stops and looks at a table with a model city made out of plastic cups and the like.

"Then we'll -" Dawn continued. 

"What is this?" Buffy bot asked as the teacher at the table sat up.

"It's our city of the future. I made the hover cars. They're orange juice cans," Dawn explained. 

"They're nice but I still don't understand." 

"We're reading Walden. This is a kid's version of a utopian society. You'll notice there are no schools and an interesting amount of pizza stores," the teacher explained, Dawn smiles.

"I don't know any breed of human that are this small. Who's going to live there?"

Dawn and the teacher laugh, fakely. "She's always like this. Come on, wacky Buffy. Bye Mr. Davis."

"As you can see, we've provided the best in progressive learning. But we can't teach your children unless you do. As parents, you have the responsibility to create the right attitude. To teach your child what school can mean," Ms. Lefcort said.

Buffy bot raises her hand.

"Ms. Summers?"

Buffy bot stands up and Dawn looks nervously up at her.

"School is where you learn."

"Exactly."

Buffy bot sat back down.

"Parents let kids focus on school as a social experience rather than a learning experience. We want you to get your kids as excited about education as they are about the lunch hour," Ms. Lefcort continued.

"I helped make lunch today," Buffy bot interrupted.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, before school. Peanut butter and jelly. I don't eat, but Dawn takes one every day," Buffy bot explained.

"Tell me about it. My kid's been brown-bagging it even though I pay for the lunch program," one of the students dad's explained.

"It's true. Something has to be done about the quality of the food," one of the moms said.

Anya is dusting some shelves and Giles is looking at paperwork. Xander is lifting heavy boxes to the back of the room.

"Anya, this register report looks a bit off. Pull the files again," Giles said.

"Are you mad at me?" Anya put down her duster and walked over to Giles.

"Mad? No, I'm -" Giles began.

"Well why are you torturing me? Y'know, I used to punish people like this back when I was a demon. I made them double-check spreadsheets for all eternity."

"I'm sorry if you resent my authority, but I won't feel comfortable leaving here until I know that absolutely everything -"

Anya picks up a statue from his desk, "You're taking the Ramadan Effigy?"

"It's not inventory, it's my personal collection," Giles grabbed the statue from Anya.

"Oh, huh. Aren't you Mister Dicey Semantics. So you think you can just take anything you want?"

She grabs the statue back and a pulling contest begins.

"Give it!" Anya pulled the statue.

"No, you give it."

Anya smacks Giles with her free hand, "Ow!"

He fends off Anya's hand and Xander walks into the room.

"When I'm marvelling at the immaturity, be scared," Xander said.

They stop fighting and both hold the statue.

"Anya, Giles is gonna leave the store to you when he goes, what more do you want?" 

"I'm not leaving the store to anyone. I'm going back to England. I'm not dead, I'm still a partner," Giles explained pulling the statue from Anya.

"A silent overseas partner," Anya remarked.

"Who you should be very nice to, unless you want to end up working at Video Hut."

Anya smiles fakely at Giles and heads to the back of the store, Xander follows and grabs her arm. "What are you doing? What kind of gratitude is that?"

"I know. It's just he keeps saying he's leaving, and then he doesn't. And I keep almost being in charge and then I'm not. And maybe he shouldn't be going at all, but we can't talk about that. And it gives me all this stress and bossiness that gets stored up and then it leaks out."

"Just give it time, Ahn. This is hard for all of us. Be patient."

"I **was** being patient, but it took too long. I miss Buffy too, really. I do. But life doesn't just stop because she's gone. I'm sick of waiting to take over here and I'm sick of waiting to tell everyone about us."

"We've talked about this. We can't announce our engagement while things are still up in the air," Xander whispered.

"Why not? It's happy news, happy news in hard times is a good thing," Anya whispered.

"It is, but if things go as planned, everything might be different. Let's just hold on."

"You've be saying that all summer."

"We'll know more after we talk to Willow and Tara later tonight."

"Whatever. Just remember that the whole marriage thing was your stupid idea. I didn't ask to be all crazy about it." 

Dawn walks down the hall of her house, cup in hand, "So my homeroom teacher, Ms. Lefcort, was like, You're sister's an example to us all. Like she wanted to make it National Buffy Bot day or something."

She puts the glass on the table and sits next to Spike on the couch, there is a pizza box and some pizza on a plate.

"Makes sense," Spike said.

"It does?"

"Yeah. She responded to Buffy bot because a robot's predictable. Boring. Teacher's pet. That's all schools are. Factories spewing out mindless automatons."

Dawn raised an eyebrow, "Who go on to be very valuable and productive members of society and you should go. Buffy would want you to."

"Check. One mindless automaton coming up."

"So what do you fancy, Bit? A game of Rummy?"

"Willow and Tara said they'd be back early, so you don't have to hang, I mean if you don't want to. If you're bored."

"I'm not and yeah I do." 

Spike gets a deck of cards and gets a chair to put opposite Dawn.

"But I'm fine alone. It's not like anyone's coming to get me. I'm not the key. Or, if I am I don't open anything anymore. It's over. Remember?"

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself, so forget it."

He sits down, "Well I'm just saying -"

He slammed the cards down and Dawn jumped.

"I'm not leaving you to get hurt. Not again." Spike pointed to the cards. "Now deal." 

A woman walks out of a store and up the street, she walks into an alley and a vampire grabs her from behind. The vampire pulls her back to taste.

"Don't be scared," Buffy bot said. "I'm going to kill him." 

"Slayer!" the vampire said.

"You can run now."

The woman runs out of the alley. The vampire runs past Buffy bot. "Not you."

She ran after him and jumped over the dumpster that got sent her way, she landed on top of him. She punches him. He crawled from beneath her and gets some broken glass. He hits Buffy bot with it and tears a hole in her head. Sparks are flying around.

"You're a machine," the vampire said.

"Thank you."

He gets to his feet and walks backward.

"Stop!"

Buffy bot walks after him into some barrels, over and over and over and over. "Vampires, beware."

The vampire runs off, grinning. 

Willow is holding an urn, Tara sits next to her at Xander's apartment.

"The Urn of Osiris," Tara said.

"You really found it," Willow finished.

"Yeah and it wasn't easy. I went through every supplier the Magic Box has," Anya explained. 

"You used a Magic Box supplier? What if Giles finds out?" Willow asked.

"He's too busy not leaving to pay attention to me, besides I ended up getting it on Ebay." 

"You found the last known Urn of Osiris on Ebay?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, from this desert gnome in Cairo. He drove a really hard bargain but I got him to throw in a limited edition Backstreet Boys lunchbox for -" Xander coughs. "A friend."

Tara smiles at Xander.

"So you got your somber on, Will, is the urn not up to spec?" Xander asked. 

Willow studies the urn one last time, "It's the one. Which means it's time."

"Time? Like time, time? With the timeliness?"

"Are you sure?" Anya asked.

"I am," Willow answered.

"Mercury's in retrograde, and we have, do we h-have everything?" Tara asked.

"Just about."

Willow gets up and walks to a table, she puts things inside.

"Why the sudden rushy-rush? Did the bot blow our cover at school?" Xander asked.

"No she did great. She impressed all the teachers," Tara replied.

"And they still thought it was Buffy?"

Willow turned to them, "Tomorrow night we'll meet back here."

"Let's apply the brakes and check the rear and side-view mirrors."

The gang look at him.

"This is deep stuff, Will. We're talking about raising the dead."

"It's time we stopped talking. Tomorrow night, we're bringing Buffy back to life."

"Tomorrow? I don't know," Xander said nervously.

"Discovery channel has monkeys and our tape machine's all wonky," Anya stands and looks at Willow.

"Guys, I need you on board here," Willow said.

"It's just," Xander said nervously. "It feels wrong."

"It is wrong," Tara looked at Willow who looked surprised at her lover's choice of words. "It's against all the laws of nature and practically impossible to do, but it's what we agreed to. I-if y-you guys a-are changing your minds -"

"No one's changing their minds. Period," Willow said.

"Excuse me? Who made you boss of the group?" Xander asked.

"You did," Anya said.

"You said Willow should be boss," Tara said and Willow walks away.

"Then you said let's vote and it was unanimous," Anya said.

"Then you made her that little plaque that said **BOSS OF US** and you put sparkles on it," Tara continued.

"Valid points all. But we... I mean," Xander said.

Xander steps from behind the table and goes over to Willow who is putting more stuff from the table in a bag.

"We were just talking then, "Xander said.

"Xander. I can do this. But not without you," Willow said.

"Should we tell Giles? I mean, now we're ready? It's not like he's going anywhere. Ever," Anya asked.

"No. No one else can know. Not Giles, not Spike, not Dawn. They might not understand."

"What if something does go wrong?" Tara asked.

"I'm telling you it won't."

"Scenario -- We raise Buffy from her grave, she tries to eat our brains. Do we, a) congratulate ourselves on a job well done -" Xander began.

"Xander, this isn't zombies."

"Zombies don't eat brains anyway unless instructed to by their zombie masters. A lot of people get that wrong," Anya interrupted.

"This isn't like Dawn trying to bring Mrs. Summers back, or anything we've dealt with before. Buffy die a natural death. She was killed by mystical energy."

"Which means we do have a shot," Tara said.

"It means more than that. It means we don't know where she really is."

"We saw her body, Will. We buried it," Xander said.

"Her body, yeah. But her soul, her essence. I mean, they could be somewhere else. She could be trapped in some hell dimension like Angel was. Suffering eternal torment, to save us, I'm not gonna let... I'm not going to leave her there. It's Buffy," Willow said, crying.

Xander looks at her for a while. "What time do we meet back here?"

Willow and Tara walked into the Summers house and see Spike with the Buffy bot.

"Willow!" Buffy bot shouted as she walked toward Willow knocking over a table and vase. The bot walks into a wall as Tara and Willow walk into the room.

"What happened? Where's Dawn?" Tara asked. Willow grabs the bot's arm and pulls her away from the wall.

"Upstairs, in bed. But the bot got into a scrape whilst on patrol," Spike replied.

"I'll go check on her," Tara said and took to the stairs.

Willow inspects the cut on Buffy bot's forehead.

"I think my feet are broken," Buffy bot said.

"Looks more like a short in the navigational system," Willow said, she sits the bot down on the couch.

"Can you get me a flashlight? It's in the kitchen," Willow asked.

Spike walks into the kitchen, "She wanted to go out and look for you again, but I figured there was enough things in Sunnydale that go bump in the night."

"Good thinking," Willow replied.

"But my homing device locates you when I'm injured. I'm programmed to go to you," Buffy bot reminded.

"I know. I think just this once it was a good idea to stay put," Willow said.

Willow lifts up the bot's shirt and pulls back the "skin" to reveal various wires.

"Spike was right," Willow said.

The bot looks up and smiles at Spike who returns with a flashlight. "Sorry I questioned you, Spike. You know I admire your brain almost as much as your washboard abs."

"I told you to make her stop doing that," Spike said.

"I did. I mean, I thought I got all that stuff out of the program," Willow replied.

Willow hooks the bot up to her laptop.

"Well you're the one who's got her opened up. Fix it," Spike said.

"Sure. I have a lot of work already, so I'll see what I can do," Willow replied. "Can you shine the flashlight here?"

Spike had left the room, "Spike!" Willow cried as he grabbed his coat and left.

"Did I say something wrong?" Buffy bot asked.

"It's not your fault," Willow replied.

"I think Spike stopped liking me."

"That's not true. He thinks you're swell."

"Then how come he never looks at me any more? Even when he's talking to me."

"He just gets cranky, like all vampires do. Just relax. I'm gonna make you as good as new," Willow replied.

The bot stares at Willow, who continues typing.

"I promise."

Dawn lies awake in bed. She gets up and walks into Buffy bot's room. She is lying there charging up, connected to a car battery. Dawn cuddles up against the bot and then falls asleep.

Buffy bot punched Giles targets in a sequence.

"That was splendid. Not try again only this time remember your breathing," Giles said. She takes a breath and blows when she hits the targets.

"Think of the air as Chi, as a life source," Giles explained.

"But I don't require oxygen to live," Buffy bot interrupted.

"Strictly speaking of course," Giles said.

"Maybe you should stick to the usual training. You don't want her to blow another gasket," Anya said walking into the room.

"I'm testing her responses after the injury. I don't see any harm in parting with a little piece of Eastern Philosophy."

"I was just saying the concept of Chi might be, y'know, a little hard for her to grasp."

"She's not the descendant of a long line of mystical warriors, she's the descendant of a toaster oven."

"I appreciate your advice Anya, but Buffy bot has responded nicely to our sessions," Giles replied.

"Well you're the boss. Still," Anya leaves the training room.

"Wanna test me again?" Buffy bot asked.

"Your responses are fine. You don't need to be tested again," Giles picks up a bottle of water and drinks. "Anya's right. I am trying to teach you as if you were a -"

"Human?"

Giles nodded.

"I like your teachings. Every slayer needs her watcher."

"I'm not sure about that."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I just can't help but wonder if she would have been better off without me."

"Who?"

"Buffy."

"I don't think that's true. You were very helpful."

"Yes, I was a perfect watcher. I did what every good watcher does. I got her killed in the line of duty."

"That wasn't your fault."

"Of course not. That's how all watcher/slayer relationships end. She's gone. I did my job."

"Then why are you still here?" Giles looks at her, sadly.

In a bar with lots of motorbikes parked outside ...

"So I got her cornered in this alley, see..." the vampire from earlier said.

"You got the slayer killed?" one of the demons with Hellion written on the back of their jackets asked.

"Yeah. Figured it's my duty. She's a menace to our society. So we fight, and I'm like Pow! Pow! Pow! and i got her on the ropes."

The demon grabs the vampire by the neck and lifts him off the ground, "You're lying to me."

"I swear on all that's unholy. You haven't even heard the best part. I cut her, right? And she's -- I don't know, some kind of machine. She's not human."

The demon let's go of the vampire, "You're high."

"I'm telling you it wasn't even the slayer man. It was like a trick. a robot."

The demon grabs the vampire and pushes through a demonic crowd to the leader, Razor.

"What's with the blood rat?" Razor asked.

The demon let go of the vampire, "Talk!"

"I was over in Sunnydale, minding my own beeswax when I see the slayer," the vampire began.

"The part about the robot," the demon interrupted.

"Well, we fought. I was all over her, like Boom! Boom! Boom!"

"It says the slayer's been replaced by some kind of machine," the demon interrupted again.

"A robot, yeah. And i kicked her synthetic ass. You should have seen the sparks," the vampire said.

Razor stands up and looks down on the vamp.

"You tellin' me there's no slayer in Sunnydale?" Razor asked.

"They got some kinda decoy standing in for her. The town is wide open," the vampire said.

"No where like the Hellmouth for a party. There's all kinds of bad in that place," the demon said.

"I guess with your muscle, you could own it in no time. Hey, I know you guys don't usually let vampires join the gang and I got the sunlight deal, but as thanks for the 4-1-1 you could let me go -" the vampire said.

Razor grabbed his neck and decapitates him.

"I'll think it over," Razor said brushing dust off his hands. "Let's ride."

The demons got on their bikes and rode off.

Willow sits by a peaceful pond surrounded by trees and grass. 

"Adonai, Helomi, Pine," Willow chanted pouring something onto the grass from a pot. "Adonai, Helomi, Pine. The gods do command thee from thy majesty. O Mappa Laman, Adonai, Helomi. Come forward, blessed one. Know your calling."

She looked around and saw a yound deer come out from behind a tree and walk toward her. "Come forward, blessed one."

When it reaches Willow she pets it and grabs a knife from her side. The fawn struggles as Willow stabs it multiple times. There is blood all over hands and she puts something into the pot.

"Accept our humble gratitude for your offering. In death you give life. May you find wings to the kingdom," Willow finished. 

Xander and Tara sit at a table in the Magic Box, reading. Anya is cleaning again and the bell jingles as Willow walks in.

"Hey. You're late," Tara said.

"I had to get that thing," Willow replied.

Willow walks to the counter, leather satchel in hand.

"Giles isn't around. You may dump the cryptic," Xander assured Willow of Giles non-presence.

"The last spell ingredient," Willow rephrased her first choice of words. 

"Right. What is Vino De Madre anyway?" Xander asked.

"Wine of the mother. Kinda black market stuffs," Willow replied walking toward the table and sitting next to Tara. 

"Black market, you didn't tell me that. You shouldn't have gone alone, it could have been dangerous," Tara said. 

"Sorry. I was careful," Willow said.

"Well it must have been intense. Black market's all baby teeth and spooky fluids," Anya walked toward the counter.

"All i know is that we need it to finish the spell, so it's good stuff in my book. How come you guys are here anyway? I thought we weren't going to meet till later," Willow pulls a books from the shelf behind her and starts to read.

"We were. But it just felt weird hanging out on our own," Xander replied.

"It's better if we stay together," Tara added.

"You got butterflies, baby?" Willow asked.

"More like bats," Tara replied.

"Wanna look at the money? I find it always calms me," Anya asked as Xander smiled at her.

"That's okay, thanks," Tara replied.

"You tell those bats that everything is gonna be alright. I promise. We couldn't be more prepared," Willow said.

"I know, I just wish it were time," Tara said. "I can't stand worrying about it anymore."

"Well, it's your lucky day then. Here's something that might distract you," Anya handed Xander a piece of paper.

"What?" Willow asked.

"I've gone. Not one for long good-byes. I thought it best to slip out quietly. Love to you all, Giles," Xander read the note. 

Giles sits in the terminal reading a book.

"You really think we'd let you get away with that?" Willow asked.

Giles looks up to see the gang plus Dawn minus Spike.

"I was trying to avoid a scene, really," Giles said.

Dawn is holding a greeting card and Willow pulls a sign from behind her back that says **BON VOYAGE GILES** on it.

"Like we'd make a scene," Willow said.

"Not you. Me," Giles replied.

"We brought you some lovely parting gifts. It's American get it? Apple pie?" Anya asked handing him the apple pie, which he puts inside his pocket. "To remind you of all the good food you won't be eating."

"And a monster. A Sunnydale souvenir we thought," Tara has a little rubber monster on her finger and is bouncing it up and down. "Grrr! Arrgh!"

"Thank you," Giles said taking the monster.

"And I wanted to buy you a can of Old English 800, 'cause, y'know, England, and you, and, because at the time it sounded really funny. But the guy who lives in the box outside the front of the store, he wouldn't buy it for us," Xander explained.

Dawn steps forward. "We got your presents at the gas station. We were kinda in a hurry," she sits beside Giles and gives him the card. "We made it in the car. That's why the letters are all shaky."

"This is impossible really," Giles said reading the card.

"We just want you to know that we'll miss you but we'll be okay. We'll miss you but we'll be okay," Willow repeated herself.

"I'll take really good care of your money," Anya said.

Giles laughed, "Yes. I have no doubt of that."

"Passengers, flight 3982, leaving for Los Angeles, and continuing to London. Rows 2o through 30," the P.A. announcement rang through the terminal. 

Giles gets up and grabs his stuff. "That's me." 

"Now? We just made it," Willow said.

"Yes. If we're going to do this, let's do it properly," Giles put his bag down and held out his hands toward Xander. They hug. Anya grabs Giles tightly and then Giles hugs Tara and then Dawn.

"I'm just a phone call away. If you need anything. You must promise me," Giles whispered in Dawn's ear.

"I do. I promise," Dawn told him.

He turned toward Willow, "Willow. I don't know where to start." They hug.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't," Willow said. "I'm trying to be stiff-upper-lippy."

"Right, right," Giles took off his glasses.

"Well, you should get going. Don't you have a life or something?" Willow asked.

"I guess that's the question really. Just be careful please."

He boarded the plane.

The gang stand outside and look at the plane as it flew overhead. Willow is holding the sign and Dawn and Tara link arms.

"It's a good. My face hurts from all the faux smiling," Xander said.

"It was right, though, wasn't it?" Willow asked. "Giving him the no-tears send off? I mean, we don't want him going off all worried about us."

"He'd still be all worried but 8 hours ahead," Anya said.

"What's he gonna do by himself? He never talks about people from England. What if he's lonely?" Willow asked.

"He won't be lonely. He used to live there before, remember?" Tara asked.

"And he might meet Olivia," Xander said.

"I'm sure we'll talk to him, right?" Dawn asked.

"We'll call him tomorrow, how about that? See how the flight was," Tara and Dawn walked off in front.

"Can you believe the timing? I mean, he's leaving right when we're ready to do the thing tonight," Xander asked.

"I know. I was hoping to have figured it before he left," Willow said.

"Maybe we should have told him. What if it works?" Anya asked.

"He'll come back," Willow replied.

"It'll be dark soon," Xander said.

"We should get Dawn home. I want to go over everything one more time. Nothing can go wrong tonight," Willow said.

Tara, Willow, Anya and Xander stand in a semicircle around Buffy's grave. Xander and Tara's candles are lit and Anya is having troubles with hers, Willow stands at the foot of the grave.

"Does everybody have their candles?" Willow asked.

"Trying here. But my lighter won't stay lit," Anya said flicking her lighter trying to get a light.

"Well hurry."

"What time is it?" Tara asked.

"A minute till midnight," Xander looked at his watch.

"Anya do you have it?" Willow demanded an answer.

"I got it. I got it. I got it," Anya said moving the lit lighter to her candle and making a flame.

"Start the circle, now!" Willow said. The gang sat down and Willow knelt in front of the grave holding the Urn of Osiris, she pours the fawn's blood into the urn from the pot.

"Osiris, keeper of the gate, master of all fate, hear us," Willow dipped her fingers into the urn and marks her forehead with blood and both her cheeks. "Before time, and after. Before knowing and nothing. Accept our offering. Know our prayer."

She jerked back and her arms hung at her sides. Deep wounds appeared in them.

"Willow!" Xander shouted.

"No! She told me she would be tested. This is supposed to happen," Tara told Xander.

"Osiris! Here lies the warrior of the people. Let her cross over!" Willow cried.

Blood ran from the wounds and spherical objects move around under her skin.

"She needs help!" Xander shouted again.

"Xander, she's strong. She said not to stop, no matter what. If we break the cycle, it's over," Tara said.

They look at Willow nervously and then hear motorbike engines roar.

"Oh god. What is that noise?" Anya asked.

The Hellions make havoc throughout the entire town. They throw firebombs through shop windows and basically wreck stuff.

"Osiris, let her cross over!" Willow cried again.

The spherical objects continue to move through Willow's body, up to her neck and starts to choke.

"Oh my goddess, oh my goddess," Tara said.

A snake's head appears in her mouth and then it slithers out onto the floor, gradually getting longer.

"It's a test. It's a test, Willow" Tara said.

Spike sat in the chair in the living room and looks at sleeping Dawn, who is asleep on the couch. He hears motorbikes and stands up and walks toward the window. The demons outside throw trash around. Dawn walks up behind Spike and looks out as well.

"What's the deal?" Dawn asked.

"Stay away from the window, Niblet," Spike holds Dawn's shoulders and moves her away from the window. He walks toward the doorway and Dawn follows.

"What is it? What's happening?" Dawn asked.

"Just do as I say," Spike said.

He checks the door is locked. "I'm going to check the rest of the house. Don't move!"

Dawn stays put and Spike moves off.

The Hellions look through a purse and the demon from the bar breaks into a window. Fires are big. "That doesn't belong to you. Put it back," Buffy bot said.

The demon let out a high pitch squeal and soon the rest of the Hellions arrive.

"Slayer. I've been hearing interesting things about you," Razor faced the synthetic slayer.

"Yes I am interesting. These your friends?" Buffy bot asked.

"They're my boys," Razor answered.

"Good. Now tell them to get back on their loud bicycles and go back to where ever it is they came from."

"Or what? You'll electrocute us?" He punched her and she falls back into the other demons. "Hold her!"

The bot struggles and Razor holds up his sharp fingers, sharper metal points come out the ends. He swipes at the bot and slashes through her shirt and "skin". Blue sparks fly around.

"You're nothing but a toy, a pretty toy, wanna play?" Razor asked.

"I would, but you've injured me and now I need Willow to service me."

Buffy bot runs off and punches the demons out of her way. The demons get on their bikes and chase her.

"Get her!" Razor shouted.

"Osiris, release her!" Willow continued.

Buffy bot appears behind Tara. "Willow! I need service!"

The revving of motorbike engines gets louder and Buffy bot runs off. The demons appear behind Tara. They ride around Tara, Anya and Xander who grab each other. Willow is encased in a tube of red light and the demons continue to ride around her.

"Willow!" Tara shouted.

One of the bikes runs over the Urn of Osiris, shattering.

"NO!" Willow shouted.

The red light fell and Willow fell to the floor, "Willow!"

Tara runs forward but the demon from the bar stopped in front of her and she stepped back.

"Look what I found!" the demon from the bar called.

"What is it, Mag?" one of the demons asked.

Xander runs and picks up Willow. "Take off! Go! Go!"

Tara and Anya run off, Xander goes the opposite way, carrying Willow.

Tara and Anya run through the woods, Mag pursues. He grabs Anya and pulls her onto his bike.

"Anya!" Tara shouted. "Dissolvo!"

A ball of blue light appears and goes after the bike. Anya falls off and Tara runs to help her up.

Xander carries Willow through that part of the forest and stops at safety.

"Willow. Willow are you okay?" Xander asked.

"Did it work?" Willow asked, weakly.

"No. I'm sorry," Xander replied as Willow passed out. Xander looks around nervously.

In the ground, there is a body. It is rotten and old. The skin is wrinkled and the hair is decayed. The red mist from the spell previous is buzzing around the body like flies around ... The eyeballs reappear and the skin and hair returns to normal. The eyes open and the red light vanishes. The woman looks around, panting. Gasping for much needed air, after sleeping. Buffy is alive.

Buffy gasped for more air, suffocating. She clawed at her coffin, pulled away the material, punched through wood. To the dirt outside. She dug six feet until she got out and could breath properly. She looked back at her gravestone.

**BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS**  
**1981-2001**  
**BELOVED SISTER**  
**DEVOTED FRIEND**  
**SHE SAVED THE WORLD A LOT**

She walked from the cemetery and down the high street. Fire and destruction was everywhere. She could see lots of men with messed up faces, she knew what they were, she knew how to deal. She could see four motorbikes with chains at the back joined to arms and legs, that of a human, herself. The demons rode off in four very different directions. The human fell apart, but she shouted something that Buffy couldn't hear. Her mouth had opened but no sound came out. Yet she could mouth the words. _Buffy!_ is what she had cried.

She didn't know how she was back, but she was, she had screamed no and the demons had heard. They had pursued, she had ran, into Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya. Her friends, the Scoobies. They found her and spoke to her, she didn't understand many of the words, but she was happy inside to be back with her friends. Then the demons came. Buffy had fought after more yapping happened. Then she ran away. She ran until she came upon a tower, a metal tower, so high and so familiar. She had climbed to the top, had remembered where she knew it from, her and Dawn. They had been up there, before Buffy jumped.

Dawn appeared behind her, begging her to get off of the tower, to go home, Buffy had asked where she was, if it was hell. Then the tower had collapsed. All metal and not very stable. Buffy ran and grabbed Dawn and then she jumped onto a cable. It fell and so did she, until it stopped some few feet above the ground, then the thing broke and they just fell, they ran out of the construction site, to safety. Then the tower collapsed.

They walked home and into the house, little had changed, yet it seemed so different. Willow and Tara lived there now, Dawn showed her round, the house they had both grown up in after moving to Sunnydale. Dawn cleaned Buffy up and got her dressed, there was a bang. Dawn disappeared and Buffy followed, Spike was at the bottom of the stairs. He saw Buffy alive and froze. He couldn't speak. Buffy was alive and not so well. Her hands were cut, Spike knew why, Dawn didn't.

Then the gang arrived, they were so worried, so scared and then she was there. Buffy went to bed. She couldn't sleep and wouldn't be able to but she was going to think, about what had happened. And she was a little scared about going to sleep, what if she never woke up again. She looked around her room, little had changed but she could smell something familiar. Cordelia. She looked at the pictures of her and her friends, they were dead, all of them. Then they changed back. She finally went to bed.

The next morning things seemed to have happened, Anya had cut her face after being possessed, she had apparently shouted at Willow and Tara, thrown a glass even. But she hadn't. They went to the Magic Box and Buffy went to patrol. She walked around the headstones and past several angel statues. She killed no vamps, she visited one though. Spike. She arrived and saw his hand was like hers, bloody. She left the cemetery and walked home, up the stairs and into her bedroom. She felt a presence, and then saw the white mist that was Thaumogenesis. After it had hit her and her not hit it, it became solid. She chopped off it's head, Anya, Xander and Dawn had arrived.

The next day she went to the Magic Box, there she told her friends about where she was. "You brought me back. I was in Hell. I can't think too much about what it was like. But it felt like the world abandoned me there. And then you guys did what you did. You did that and the world came rushing back. Thank you. You guys gave me the world. I can't tell you what it means to me."

Willow and Xander hugged her and then she left, outside was, Spike. Outside in the daylight. Anyway, she sat down and he walked away toward the sunlight, she wanted to be alone, but she could be alone with him. He sat down next to her, asked her if she was okay, if she was in pain, explained that he had been to a Hell dimension.

"I was happy. Wherever I was, I was happy. At peace. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I knew it. Time didn't mean anything. Nothing had form, but I was still me, you know? And I was warm. And I was loved. And I was finished. Complete. I don't understand about theology or dimensions, or any of it really, but I think I was in heaven. And now I'm not. I was torn out of there. Pulled out. By my friends. Everything here is hard, and bright, and violent. Everything I feel, everything I touch. This is Hell. Just getting through the next moment, and the one after that. Knowing what I've lost. They can never know. Never," Buffy explained and then walked away.

She woke up the next day, not wanting to get up, but she had to. Then she wished she hadn't. There was flood, a bill and she was broke. The bank was no help, no loan, no job, no full copper repipe. Then the demon showed up, the M'Fashnik guy and everything got a lot worse for her. She didn't even get the loan after saving the bank worker's lives. She worked out, hitting and punching, pissed. She had Willow talking to her. About her affair with Riley last semester and the sleazy affair with Angel, which Buffy highly doubted seeing as Willow was kinda gay. She had gone out of the training room, to talk to the guys, Dawn had found the M'Fashnik guy, turns out she now did research. Then the bell rang and Buffy looked up, Giles. She walked toward him , him toward her and then he hugged her. Too tight, she could hardly breath.

They went home, tonight housing one more. Buffy went to patrol, she and Spike arrived at the house to be greeted with various screams, Dawn. The M'Fashnik guy had got her address and was hurting her sister. Buffy fought him, into the basement and he grabbed a pipe. She kicked the pipe out of his hand and started beating him with it, he died. The next day they sorted out money stuff while Willow, Dawn and Xander pieced back together what had been broken the previous night. They went outside and threw the stuff in the trash.

In L.A. Angel was sitting on the steps outside Angel Investigations with Fred, it was night. He spoke to her about the thing she had for him, Cordy ran out of the Hyperion. Angel and Fred turned to look at her. "Angel, Willow's on the phone. She's alive, Buffy's alive."

Angel got up and ran inside the hotel, "Buffy?" Fred asked when Cordelia had followed. 

"What are you going to do?" Cordelia asked.

"I have to see her," Angel said. He ran upstairs and got a bag. He didn't know how she was back. But was glad that she was. These questions would all be answered in time.

He left the hotel and got out his cell phone. He dialled Buffy's home number, it rang. 

Buffy's phone rang. "Who could that be. Everyone I know lives here."

She walked into the kitchen and picked it up.

"Hello?" Angel asked. 

"Angel," Buffy said.

"Buffy, I need to see you, meet me in Cleveland. At the airport," Angel said.

"Okay," Buffy put down the phone and walked back into the front room. 

"Buffy what is it?" Giles asked.

"Angel," Buffy replied.

"Is he in trouble?"

"He knows that I'm... he needs to see me, I need to see him."

"Of course. You'll leave for L.A. in the morning."

"Not L.A. and not here. Cleveland."

"The Hellmouth?" 

"I thought this was the Hellmouth."

"There's another one in Cleveland."

Buffy nodded.

"We'd best get these bills and stuff out of the way first."

"I need to go now. Thanks for taking care of this for me."

Buffy walked out of the house.

Buffy arrived at the airport and sat in the terminal. The plane to L.A. didn't leave for another 30 minutes.

_Angel's gonna be waiting in Cleveland for me for a long while. I need to get the plane to L.A. and then the connecting flight to Cleveland._

She waited for the rest of the half hour and then boarded the plane. She sat near the window, next to some weird guy. His friend sat next to him. Buffy stared out of the window and looked out at the sunset. _So beautiful._ The plane left the airport a little later and Buffy sat and looked out of the window, watching the in-flight movie. It was about a guy and his dog.

The plane arrived at the airport in L.A. Buffy got off and walked into the terminal. She looked around at her surroundings. There were some seats in the middle of the room and some desks on the far side. She walked toward them. She booked her flight, for a hours time. She turned away from the desk and saw someone standing opposite her. He had black hair and black eyes, he was wearing a long black leather coat and was wearing black underneath, Angel. She run across to him and he held her.

"Angel what are you doing here?" Buffy asked, looking up at him.

"Buffy. It's really you. But, how?" Angel asked.

"Willow, Xander, Tara and Anya brought me back. And shouldn't you be in Cleveland?"

"I left a bit later than planned."

"D'you wanna sit down?"

"In a minute, I need to book my flight." 

Buffy sat down and watched Angel walk to the row of desks. He arranged his flight and sat next to Buffy.

"Where you sitting on the plane?" Angel asked.

"Um near the window hopefully," Buffy replied.

"Which seat? I got the front row seat number 9."

"I got number 10. Hey we can sit with each other and I can look out of the window. You won't go poof will you halfway there, will you?"

"Huh?" 

"Do you remember on my 17th birthday, not the part where you turned evil and killed Ms. Calendar but when you said you couldn't get the plane because it was too unpredictable."

"I can get to other places in America cause it's not that far but not across the world."

Buffy nodded.

The time passed and they boarded the new plane. They sat in their seats.

"Angel? Why did we need to meet in Cleveland?"

"A change of scene. Y'know different from the usual L.A./Sunnydale thing." 

Buffy nodded and yawned.

"Are you tired?" 

"Just a little."

"You should sleep." And so Buffy fell asleep. He head rested on Angel shoulder, he watcher her sleep, peaceful.

The plane landed and they got off of it. They walked out of the airport and went to the nearest hotel before Angel dusted. They got the same room with two beds. 

The sun rose and the day occurred. The day finished and Buffy and Angel went out.

"You do realise Cleveland is on a Hellmouth don't you?" Buffy asked.

"It is?" Angel asked.

"According to Giles."

"What kind of food do you want?"

"Um... Mexican is fine. You can do that?"

"Do what?"

"Eat. I mean, like normal food."

"I can, but most vampires prefer blood."

They reached the nearest Mexican place and got a table. They ordered and ate. Until there was a giant scream and a woman ran inside the restaurant. Buffy ran over to her, "What's wrong? What is it?"

"There were these guys. One had a messed up face and the other was all flamey," the woman replied.

"What do you mean messed up and how was he all flamey? And what's your name?" Angel asked.

"The first had all bumps over his forehead and fangs and the next was just made out of fire. Like molten lava rocks. And my name's Anne," Anne replied.

"Vampire and demon activity," Buffy said. "Just what I need, a mini vacation and great demons." Buffy walked out of the restaurant, Angel paid up and ran after her. 

"I'm coming with," Angel said.

Buffy nodded. "You might wanna put your game face on."

"Okay." Angel vamped out.

They ran to the place of the scream and found the demons near the ocean. Buffy pulled a stake out of her duster and ran at the vampire. She kicked him and backhanded him until he land on the floor, then she threw him into the water and ran in after him. Watery, dust fell into the sea.

Angel was having trouble with the demon. He punched it and burnt his fists. So kicking was the best deal. He kicked it and Buffy ran to help. She kicked it and then started to punch it. Angel looked in shock as she punched without getting burnt. Buffy threw him in the ocean and he frazzled. The demon ran out of the water, non flamey and Angel snapped his neck.

They walked back to the hotel and sat in the room, silently.

"Buffy, I think we need to talk." Angel said.

"About?"

"The demon tonight. Why didn't it burn your hands?"

"I couldn't feel it. Did it burn you?" Angel raised his knuckle to show Buffy the burn. "Let me get you some ice."

Buffy ran into the kitchen area and got some ice and made an ice pack. She held it on Angel's fist.

"Angel, I need to tell you something. Something no one else knows other than that one person I told."

"What Buffy?"

"I think I was in heaven. i was torn out of there by Willow, Xander, Anya and Tara. I can't tell them. I won't tell them. But I was happy wherever I was and now I'm not."

She collapsed into Angel's chest and he held her.

"And the other person you told was? I mean if you can't tell Willow, Tara, Anya or Xander then it's has to be either Giles or Dawn."

"None of them actually." 

"Then who?"

"Spike."

"You told Spike before your friends?"

"It felt right. I needed to tell someone, or something and Spike was just there. My friends think I was in Hell though."

"Really?" 

"Yes really."

Buffy and Angel fell asleep. The next morning the sun rose and they had to pack. After they did that the sun had set. And Buffy and Angel were going home. Buffy to L.A. then Sunnydale and Angel to just L.A.

They got to the airport, boarded the plane and went home. Buffy arrived in Sunnydale a little later than planned, stopping in the local fast food restaurant to get take out. Chicken.

"You wouldn't dare. You were just going to toss in a Prothgarian broadsword with a third-century ceremonial Sancteus dagger." Wesley said.

Cordelia looked at the sword she was holding again, "Let's see. Long, metal, pointy, yes." 

"Cordy! The purpose of an inventory," Wesley began. 

"Yes. Give us that purpose of an inventory speech again," Gunn asked sarcastically.

"This wasn't my idea," Wesley replied.

"No. Angel keeps complaining that the weapons cabinets is all different. But, Wesley. Who's the boss around here? You or the guy with the pancreas dagger?" Cordelia asked.

"What time is it?" Fred asked. 

Cordelia looked at Wesley's watch, "Six twenty four, and for those of you who are playing the home game : that's exactly three minutes from the last time you asked."

"I'm sorry. I just have this theory that the more you are aware of time the more slowly it moves on. Which could make light speed travel possible. But only if you concentrated," Fred began.

"He'll be back when he's back," Cordelia replied.

"So - now that she's alive again, are they gonna get back together? Angel and that girl with the goofy name?" Fred asked.

"Well - Fred - that's a difficult question. I think it's fair to say - no. Not a chance, never, no way, not in a million years, and also nuh-uh," Wesley replied.

"But you said he loved her. And of course she's gonna love him back, because he's so strong and handsome and he really listens when you talk. I-I mean, if you go for that sort of thing, why wouldn't it work?" Fred asked. 

"Let me break it down for you, Fred," Cordelia said. "Oh Angel! I know that I'm a slayer and you a vampire and it would be impossible for us to be together, but."

Cordelia stepped into Buffy's shoes for the second time in her life, she stepped away from the counter and started to act.

"But?" Wesley asked stepping into Angel's shoes and taking off his glasses. "My gypsy curse sometimes prevents me from seeing the truth. Oh, Buffy!"

"Yes, Angel?"

"I love you so much I almost forgot to brood!"

"And just because I sent you to hell that one time doesn't mean that we can't just be friends."

Wesley grabbed Cordelia's wrist.

"Or possibly more," Wesley/Angel said.

"Gasp! No! We mustn't!"

Wesley pulled Cordelia closer. "Kiss me." 

"Bite me!"

Wesley pretended to sink his fangs into Cordelia's neck.

"How about you both bite me," Angel said walking into the room. 

Buffy opened her front door and walked in carrying the bucket of chicken.

"Hello?" Buffy called.

"Buffy?" Willow replied.

Buffy walked into the kitchen. "Yep, it's me and I brought dinner. Deep fried chicken parts. Hope you're hungry. You already ate." 

"No!" Giles said as Buffy looked at the plates and stuff on the table. "Well yes we did."

"We didn't know when you'd be coming back," Dawn said.

"That's okay. More for me," Buffy said as she put her bucket on the table and took her coat off and hung it up.

"I don't know about anyone else but I would love some chicken," Tara said.

"As would I," Giles agreed.

"I'll take a drumstick," Dawn said.

"I'm a breast girl myself," Willow said.

Buffy passed the bucket around and sat down.

"So," Dawn said.

"What so?" Buffy asked.

"How was it? Seeing Angel, him seeing you? Was it weird?"

"It was intense."

"If you wanna talk about it," Willow said.

"I don't. I-it's ... not important. Past. I'd just ... rather keep this one to myself, if that's okay."

"Sure, whatever," Dawn said. "What did you do release Angelus again?"

"No," Buffy said. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Buffy, um, there was some discussion in, uh, your absence a-about, um ... w-what you're gonna do now." Giles said.

"Glad to know I've been speculated about."

"You know, um... your plans."

"Oh, um, I've been giving that a lot of thought actually. I think I've figured out, what I should do." 

"That's good, that's good!" Willow exclaimed. 

"Yeah. I figure, if I hold off paying the plumber, I can pay the utility bill. And then I can wait to re-shingle the roof until we get the refund back-"

"Um, I meant with your life." Giles explained.

"Oh. Life plans. Um ... well... " Buffy thought. "I have no idea."

"I guess... well I, left school, y'know, when Mom got sick, but I always figured I'd go back ... and then she..." Buffy trailed off of the subject about her mom's death.

The gang looked at her sympathetically.

"Um, so I-I was thinking about re-enrolling, but I missed the registration cutoff. Busy being dead and all."

"Well, if it's too late for late registration and too early for early, you can always come to classes with Tara and me," Willow suggested.

"Right. Y-you can audit for the rest of the semester until registration," Tara said.

"Audit. I-I guess I could do that," Buffy said. "Yeah, that ... sounds like a good plan. What do you think, Giles?"

**Fade To Black**

**The End**


End file.
